David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, poked a hole in Donald Trump's defense in his hush money case Thursday by testifying that the former president made the payments to benefit his 2016 presidential campaign.
At a Manhattan court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass asked Pecker about a practice called "catch and kill," in which the magazine would purchase negative stories on behalf of Trump to keep them out of the public eye.
Pecker said he "made the assumption" that the payments to women who alleged affairs with Trump were done to keep them quiet for the benefit of the campaign. The former publisher recalled Trump thanking him for paying off a doorman, who claimed to have information about a Trump love child, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said she'd had an affair with him.
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"He said I want to thank you for handling the McDougal situation... I want to thank you for the doorman situation," Pecker reportedly told Steinglass.
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The prosecutor asked if Trump authorized the payments to prevent hisfamily from being embarrassed or to benefit his 2016 presidential campaign by keeping potentially damaging information from voters.
"I thought it was for the campaign," Pecker replied.
"After Mr. Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency, did he ever express concern for how... Melania Trump would think of his affairs?" Steinglass wondered.
"No," Pecker said.
Trump's attorneys have long argued that their client is not guilty of election interference because he made hush-money payments to shield his wife from revelations of an extra-marital affair.
In his opening statement, defense attorney Todd Blanche said the payments were made because Trump was trying to “protect his family, his reputation and his brand."
